Book-holder.



No. 774,152. PATENTED NOV. 8,1904.

' L. BLOCK.

BOOK HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1902. RENEWED APR. 9. 1904.

N0 MODEL.

\ Q Q l4 17 12 .5. Fig.4.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR Patented November 8, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS BLOCK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BOOK-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,152, dated November 8, 1904.

Application filed June 24, 1902. Renewed April 9, 1904. Serial No. 202,441. (No model.)

To (all whom, it ntay concern:-

This invention relates to book-holders of that class wherein the book, periodical, or the like when not in use is suspended from a support and in which the support is rotated on a horizontalh -disposed axis when it is desired to open the book, &c.

One object of the invention is to support the sides of the book, &c., when .it is opened for use.

Another object is to so fasten the book to the support as to avoid injury thereto.

Another object is, where necessary or desirable, to control a light by the position of the said book-support.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

To these ends the invention consists of features of construction, devices, and combinations hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which Figure l is a side elevation of said embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section thereof at a hinge, and Fig. 4: is a side view of a bookretainer.

Referring to the drawings, the reference 1 designates a standard or bracket which may be attached to a wall, the side of adesk or table, or which may be attached to the top of some part. By preference this standard or bracket is hollow throughout, though for some of the purposes of this invention it may be socketed at its free end only.

2 marks a socket which has a round shank 3 fitting and turning in. the upright end of the standard 1. By preference this socket is oblong in plan. This socket 2 has a vertical slot 4 in one of its longer sidesthe front.

The reference 5 marks a book-support which may be of any suitable form, but which is preferably of the form illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter described. The support 5 illustrated in the drawings comprises two angle-bars 6, which are substantially parallel with each other and which are united at one end by a yoke or Y 7, having by preference a flattened button 8 on its end. Screws 9 serve to draw the bars 6 toward each other, and book-retainers 1O coact with said screws to hold the book in place, there being at least one such retainer. By preference the retainer 10 has long and short slots 11 and 12 in its ends, and the retainer is long enough to engage with both screws 9 at one and the same time, while the slot 11 is long enough to permit of the disengagement of the slotted end 12 from the corresponding screw by the endwise movement of the retainer. The retainer 10 is flat, so as to lie between two leaves of the book without too much spreading them apart. The back edges of the book rest in the angles of the-bars 6, and the book is held in place by the clamping action of the screws and bars and also by the use of one or more retainers 10. Obviously the book hangs freely when the support is in one position thereof, as shown in Fig. 1, and since the angle-bars 6 merely grip the book at the back thereof the book may be opened whenever the support is turned over, as shown in Fig. 2.

.Reference 13 designates lugs attached to or formed integrally with the bars 6, there being at least two such lugs for each bar, and 14 marks leaf-holders hinged to the said bars 6 adjacent to the said lugs and adapted to be stopped by said lugs when these are opened out, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3. By preference the pairs of holders are connected with their respective bars 6 by rods 15, which pass through the eyes of the hinges, as shown. By preference also the holders 1a are formed each of two plates substantially parallel with each other, and the leaves 16 havetheir edges placed between the plates. Male and female screws 17, rivets, or other suitable means may be used to draw the plates of the holders together to clamp and hold the leaves 16 in place, so that each pair of holders and its leaf form one structure. The described arrange ment secures that the leaves 16 shall drop open whenever the support 5 is turned in the socket 2 to bring the back of the book downward and shall drop closed whenever the said support is turned to bring the back of the book upward. The stop-lugs 13 arrest and support the holders and leaves whenever these drop open, as above described. The open book is indicated in Fig. 2 by the dotted lines 18.

19 designates an electric lamp whose circuit 20 includes two contacts 21, secured to but insulated from the rear Wall of the socket 2 opposite the slot 1, and 22 marks a piece of insulating material secured in a rabbeted portion of the metal button 8 of the support 5. Said contacts may be adjustable outward and inward of the socket 2. When the button 8 is in the position thereof shown in Fig. 1, the circuit 20 is broken at the contacts 21 by reason of the insulation 22 bridging the space between said contacts, and there is no light; but when the button 8 is turned over, as in Fig. 2, the metallic part of the button rests against and bridges the space between the contacts 21, the circuit is completed at that point, and the lamp is lighted, provided the usual cut ting in and. out button is so turned as to permit of the current passing through the lamp. Hence it follows that the mere turning over of the support 5 to open and close the book may act automatically to turn on and 011' the electric-lighting current. The shank 3 permits of movements of the support 5 in horizontal directions, While the support may be turned about its axis by lifting its free end slightly, since the button 8 binds in the socket 2.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a book-holder, the combination of a socket having an opening through the front wall thereof, an electric lamp, electric contacts within the socket and in the lamp-circuit, a book-support having a shank passing through and rotatable in said opening and a metal button engaging said. socket, and insulation on said button for contact with said contacts to break the circuit through said lamp, substantially as described.

2. In a book-holder, a support comprising two bars united at one end, screws exterior of the book for drawing said bars toward each other, and a book-retainer for engaging with said screws to hold the book in place between said bars, substantially as described.

3. In a book-holder, a book-support comprising two bars united at one end, screws exterior of the book for drawing said bars toward each other, and a flat book-retainer having slotted ends for engaging with said screws to hold the book in place, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 23d day of June, A. D. 1902.

LOUIS BLOCK.

Witnesses:

PAUL VVILooX, FRANK RYALL. 

